Boiler feed-regulator.



C. M. CLARK.

BOILER FEED REGULATOR.

APPLIGATION FILED NOV. 6, 1909.

Patented 0015141913.

WITNESSES arana oration.

CHARLES MOTLEY CLARK, OF CHICAGO, ILEIN 91S.

BOILER, rnnnrnneuneron.

Application filed November 6, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES MOTLEY CLARK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented an Improvement in Boiler Feed-Regulators, of

' which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to boiler feed regulators and consists of certain improvements which are fully set forth in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof. 7

The object of my invention is to provide an automatic regulating device which shall operate whenever the water level in the boiler becqmes abnormally low, to automatically cause feed water to be supplied to the boiler to restore the normal level which is required therein. The apparatus is therefore designed for the purpose of maintaining the water level in the boiler at approximately a uniform level at all times.

My invention consists of a feed water pipe for supplying water to the boiler in which the water is supplied under a pressure in excess of that of the boiler pressure, and said pipe being provided with a check valve which closes against the boiler pressure and opens against the feed Water pressure, combined with mechanical means for assisting the check valve in closing, and an automatic device controlled by the level of the water in the boiler for opening the check valve against the mechanical device and feed water pressure whenever the level cit the water in the boiler becomes abnormally low. In the preferred form of my invention, I form the automatic device of such character that it is thermally operated whereby it opens the check valve when e anded and permits the valve to be closed' hy the mechanical device when it is contracted.

More specifically, my invention consists of a counterweighted check valve adapted to close upon its seat when not otherwise prevented combined with a thermostatically operated plunger disconnected from the check valve and out of contact with it when the valve is closed, and thermostatically operated means for moving the plunger against the valve piece of the check valve to open it when it is desired that feed water shall pass to the boiler, the construction being such that the position of the valve piece when closed shall not be dependent Specification of Letters Ratent.

Patentedfict. list, 1%13.

Serial No. 526,497.

, upon the state of contraction of the thermos- I tatic member.

My invention also comprehends details of construction which, together with the features above specified, will be better understood by' reference to the drawings, in which is shown an elevation of feed water apparatus with the check valve in section.

2 is the boiler, 3 is the feed water pipe, 4 is the boiler feed pump, and 5 is the check valve for controlling the feed water passing from the pump into the boiler. This valve 5 has a valve piece which closes against the boiler pressure and is assisted in such closing by the feed water pressure from the pump. The valve piece 6 is further supported upon a downwardly extending stem 7 passing through a stufling box 8 and the said stem 7 is connected with a pivoted lever 9 counter-weighted at 10 and operating so that normally the counterweight 10 causes the valve piece 6 to close upon its seat, when not otherwise prevented. Extending through the stufling box 13 of the, body of the check valve 5 is a plunger 12 and the lower end of this plunger is arranged centrally above the valve piece 6 so that when depressed it will move the valve piece downward away from itsseat against the action -of the counterweight 10 and the feed water pressure. The'plunger 12 is connected with the lower end of an expansible tube 11 preferably of copper, the upper end of which tube is secured to a cross head 14 which is connected by bolts or rods 15 of iron with the check valve body.

17 is a water column of the boiler which atthe top with the boiler above the water level and at the bottom with the boiler below the water level. The water column adjacent to the middle water gage is connected by a pipe 16 with the top of the expansible tube 11. The lower part of the water column, below the water level, is connected by a pipe 18 with the lower part of the expansible tube 11'. Whenever the water is at, 'or above the normal water level, the condensation of the steam in the expansion tube the plunger 12 will then be drawn upward by the contraction of the tube 11. At this time the valve piece 6 will be closed upon its seat. Should the water level become so lowered as to permit steam to enter the pipe 16, then the water column in the excontains the usual water gages and connects 11 will cause it to be filled with Water, and

pansible tubell will be lowered by the tube draining itself through the pipe 18. As the pipell will then be filled with steam, it will expand and push down the plunger 12 until it reaches the valve piece 6, and then a further expansion will lower the said valve plece' against the action of the counterweight 10, and permit the feed water to flow through the check valve-into the boiler. In connection with the regulator above described, I prefer to employ an automatic I pump governor for the pump 4:. This pump governor 1s indicated at 19 and comprises a valve device 20 of any suitable 'der and piston device 22 is operated by the boiler pressure exerted through the pipe 24 to open the steam supply to the pump. A pipe'23 connects with the cylinder and piston device 22 and also with the feed water pipe 3 between the pump 4 and the check I valve 5, so that the pressure in the said feed feed Water into the boiler.

water pipe is exerted upon the cylinder and piston device 22 in opposition to the steam pressure through the pipe 24:, to close the steam valve to the pump when it is desired to stop the action of the pump.

When the check valve 5 is closed, the action of the pump increases the pressure in the feed water pipeand the pipe 23 sufficiently to operate the cylinder and piston device 22 to shut off the supply of the steam to the pump, and the pump remains at rest. If the water level in the boiler becomes sufficiently low to permit steam to enter the expansion tube 11, the said tube is expanded and by means of theplunger 12 the valve piece 6 of the check valve 5 is depressed. The pressure of the feed water in the pipe 3 then'becomes lowered to the pressure within the boiler, and this reduces the pressure in the pipe 23 to that in the pipe 24:. Under these conditions, theaction on the piston in the cylinder and piston device 22 is balanced, and the counterweight 21 then operates to open the steam valve 20 of the governor and put the pump into action to force When the level of the water in the boiler reaches the normal level, the pipe 16 becomes sealed, the steam in the expansion member 11 condenses, and the said member contracts and lifts its plunger 12. The valve piece 6 follows the plunger 12 under the action of the counterweight 10, and is controlled in its upward movement by the plunger 12. As soon as the valt e piece 6 reaches its seat, the pressure in the feed water pipe 3 begins to increase, and this increased pressure, acting through the pipe 23 upon the pump governor, causes the steam to be shut off from the pump to bring it to rest.

It will be observed that the thermostatic member and its plunger operates directly upon the valve piece (5 to open it against the superior pressure contained in the feed water pipe 3, but the closing of the said valve piece 6 is positively performed by an independent mechanical device found in the counterw'eighted lever 9, and this closing action is controlled by the thermostatic member so that the positive closing of the valve 6 is insured under all conditions, and at the same time fine adjustments of the thermostatic member and its plunger are not necessary. If it were not for the fact that the valve piece is closed by other means than the thermostatic member which opens it, the most accurate adjustment of the parts would have to be made, and as these adjustments would necessarily have to be varied to'suit all variable changes in normal temperatures of the atmosphere, attempts to operate the valve piece directly by the thermostatic member have not been satisfactory, because either the valve piece did not properly seat and a leaky valve resulted, or when it did seat the strain upon the connections between it and the thermostatic member produced breakages and defective operation.

It is evident that while the plunger 12 is shown as adapted to be moved into contact with the central portion of the valve piece 6 for the purpose of moving it from its valve seat agalnst the action of the counterw'eighted devices, the said plunger may be made to act upon the valve piece directly or indirectly in any other suitable manner so long as the same results are accomplished. It is also evident that the counterweight 10 may be adjustedto suit the amount of friction which may be producedby the stufiingbox 8.

I have shown my improvements in connection with an expansible tube or thermostatic member and the count-erweighted check valve, but it is evident that the invention may be operated with other mechanical devices for closing the valve piece upon its seat in lieu of the counterweight,

and likewise, other valve opening devices may be employed in place of the thermostatic member so long as they are controlled by the variations of water levels in the boiler. Therefore, while I prefer the construction shown as the most practical embodiment of my invention, I do not restrict myself to the details, as these may be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

ovaeea 1. In a boiler feed regulator, the combination of the boiler, a feed water pipe, a check valve in said feed Water pipe having a valve piece closing against the pressure of the boiler, means toforce water into the feed water pipe with a pressure greater than the boiler pressure, mechanical devices oper-- ating upon the valve piece for closing it upon the seat when not otherwise restrained consisting of a rod extending into the valve body and connecting with the valve piece and a counterweighted lever outside of the body acting upon the said rod, and means operated by the level of the water in the boiler for positively moving the valve piece from its seat to open the check valve and also to regulate its closing, consisting of a plunger extending through the valve body and normally out of contact with the valve piece and a thermostatic member for movingthe plunger to push the valve piece away from its seat against the action of the counterweight.

2. In a boiler feeding apparatus, the combination with a boiler and means for forcing water thereinto, of an automatic valve to control the said supply of Water to the boiler consisting of a valve body divided into two chambers by a valve seat and having a stufiing box above and below said seat, a check valve arranged to seat upon the valve seat against the pressure of the boiler, a stem extending through one of the stuffingboxes for moving the valve toward its seat, power devices outside of the valve body ing Water thereinto, of an automatic valve to control the said supply of Water to the boiler consisting of a valve body divided into two chambers by a valve seat and having a stuffing box above and below said seat, a check valve arranged to seat upon the valve seat against the pressure of the boiler, a stem extending through one of the stuffing boxes for moving the valve toward its seat, power devices outside of the valve body acting upon the stem to operate it to close the valve upon its seat, said devices consistingof a pivoted lever having an adjustable welght, a second stem independent of the valve and movable through the other of the stuffing boxes to move the valve away from its seat, and means operating under the control of the level of the water in the boiler for positively moving the second stem. In testimony of which invention, I hereunto set my hand.

CHARLES MOTLEY CLARK. Witnesses:

R. M. KE LY, E. G. FARLEY. 

